Crusaders run riot over Fijian Drua in historic Christchurch farewell

The Fijian Drua fell short in key moments as the Crusaders powered to a 69-26 win in an emotional farewell at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.

Saturday night marked the end of an era for the Crusaders at the venue, where they have built years of success, and a milestone moment for Codie Taylor in his 150th game for the club.

“I just want to give all glory to Jesus Christ our saviour who gave his life on this holy day… yeah, what a special moment,” Taylor told SkySport after the match.

“To go out like that on this stadium, to get the job done and to pull this jersey on for 150 times, I’m just so grateful. I love this team, I love this club.”

In front of a strong home crowd, the Crusaders overcame an early error-filled start to take control through Sevu Reece, who crossed untouched after a sharp backline move.

The Drua responded with pressure of their own but were denied a try for a double movement, a key early turning point.

Fijian Drua players show resilience under pressure but fall short in key moments against a clinical Crusaders side. Photo/Photosport/John Davidson

The Crusaders quickly made them pay, with Leicester Fainga’anuku finishing a well-worked phase before Taylor struck twice from driving mauls as the home side’s forward pack took control.

Reece added his second soon after, pushing the score to 31-0 and putting the Drua under heavy pressure.

But the visitors stayed in the fight. Joe Tamani crossed after sustained phases, and despite trailing, the Drua continued to attack with intent.

Codie Taylor marks his 150th game with four tries as the Crusaders close out Apollo Projects Stadium in style. Photo/Photosport/John Davidson

Crusaders captain Will Jordan helped steady his side, breaking the line and linking with Chay Fihaki to keep momentum with the hosts.

Even with a player in the bin, the Crusaders held firm before Elia Canakaivata added another try for the Drua from a lineout drive to close the gap before half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Taylor completing a hat-trick early before adding a fourth as the Crusaders’ set piece continued to dominate.

The Drua kept responding, with Canakaivata grabbing his second and former Crusader Manasa Mataele scoring against his old side, a moment of pride despite the scoreboard.

Still, the Crusaders proved too strong. Corey Kellow, Fihaki, and Seb Calder all crossed as the home side ran away with the result.

A strong Christchurch crowd witnesses the end of an era as the Crusaders seal their 100th win at Apollo Projects Stadium. Photo/Photosport/John Davidson

Jordan said the occasion added extra motivation for his side.

“The chance for the 2026 Crusaders to leave our mark on this awesome stadium which has had a lot of success for us,” he said in a post-match interview.

Drua captain Isoa Nasilasila admitted his side struggled to keep up in key moments.

“You can see they started off well, they are a hard team to stop when they do,” he told SkySport.

“You’ve just got to live in the moments, and we lost a lot of those key moments, and a hard team to stop.

“I think just build on good moments, our physicality was there, and just the conversion rate.

"I guess finding the balance between chaos and good footy, so I think just stick to our game plan,” Nasilasila said.

While the result highlights the gap on the night, the Drua showed glimpses of their physicality and attacking style, qualities they will look to build on as the season continues.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, close the chapter on Apollo Projects Stadium with a performance that reflects their long-standing dominance at the ground.